Powerful Picayune is the two-time defending back-to-back Class 5A state prep football champion in the state of Mississippi.
But the mighty Maroon Tide has no chance whatsoever to make it a three-peat. None at all.
That’s because as the Mississippi High School Association expands to a seventh classification for the first time ever, Picayune will carry its school record and statewide best 26-game winning streak into the 2023 campaign as a member of Class 6A after moving up a step due to reclassification.
The Maroon Tide will see some old familiar foes in the new Region 4-6A however. Joining Picayune in the revamped league is Pascagoula, George County, Long Beach, West Harrison and Hancock.
Head coach Cody Stogner enters his fourth season at the helm of his alma mater the Maroon Tide, and the former Picayune standout has done stellar work after taking over for his mentor Dodd Lee in guiding his squad to their first-ever back-to-back state crowns. The Maroon Tide has five state titles overall (1986, 2011, 2013, 2021, 2022).
Stogner had to get a bit creative with the non-region part of his schedule and ended up with games against Catholic High of Baton Rouge (La.) as well as perennial state power Brandon and Ocean Springs among others. The Maroon Tide lost some key contributors from last season but return many others as well as they set their sites on yet another state title tilt.
Also, due to expansion and relocation among other issues, Picayune will not meet arch-rival Pearl River Central on the football field in the regular season for the first time in 19 seasons. The two schools, whose campuses lie about six miles apart, have faced off against one another in 31 out of the past 33 seasons before this year and also met twice in 2011.
Here is the complete list of team schedules for Region 4-6A
REGION 4-6A
GEORGE COUNTY
Coach: James Ray
A. 25 East Central
S. 1 at Greene County
S. 8 at Biloxi
S. 15 at Vancleave
S. 22 Wayne County
S. 29 Hattiesburg
O. 6 Long Beach
O. 13 at Hancock
O. 20 West Harrison
O. 27 Picayune
N. 2 at Pascagoula
HANCOCK
Coach: Neil Lollar
A. 25 at Natchez
S. 1 at Moss Point
S. 8 St. Martin
S. 15 at Petal
S. 22 at Vancleave
S. 29 Florence
O. 6 at West Harrison
O. 13 George County
O. 20 at Pascagoula
O. 27 Long Beach
N. 2 at Picayune
LONG BEACH
Coach: Jacob Massey
A. 25 at Pass Christian
S. 1 Forrest Co. AHS
S. 8 Bay High
S. 15 at Purvis
S. 22 at Petal
S. 29 South Jones
O. 6 at George County
O. 13 Pascagoula
O. 20 Picayune
O. 27 at Hancock
N. 2 West Harrison
PASCAGOULA
Coach: Lewis Sims
A. 25 at Moss Point
S. 1 at East Central
S. 8 Gautier
S. 15 at D’Iberville
S. 22 at Biloxi
S. 29 open
O. 6 Picayune
O. 13 at Long Beach
O. 20 Hancock
O. 27 at West Harrison
N. 2 George County
PICAYUNE
Coach: Cody Stogner
A. 25 at Brandon
S. 1 Catholic (La.)
S. 8 at D’Iberville
S. 15 at Gulfport
S. 22 Ocean Springs
S. 29 open
O. 6 at Pascagoula
O. 13 West Harrison
O. 20 at Long Beach
O. 27 at George County
N. 2 Hancock
WEST HARRISON
Coach: Quincy Patrick
A. 25 Greene County
S. 1 Sumrall
S. 8 at East Marion
S. 15 at Bay High
S. 22 Moss Point
S. 29 open
O. 6 Hancock
O. 13 at Picayune
O. 20 at George County
O. 27 Pascagoula
N. 2 at Long Beach
